


Begrudgingly Wed

by ahvahtlom



Category: Original Work
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Art, Digital Art, Magic, Other, Romance, Royalty, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:47:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22383550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahvahtlom/pseuds/ahvahtlom
Summary: A marriage is arranged between the heirs of two countries; one magical, one magic-resistant, in order to secure political relations. The Imperial Heir of Jandoon, Onan, sees nothing but bullish pride and backward notions in the Prince of Desirand. Likewise, Prince Mhain sees a lazy, opulent narcissist in the Imperial Heir. Nevertheless, both have their reasons for seeing this ceremony through.Chapters have widely varying length, and there is currently no beta reader*edit: art added*Arranged marriage AU of oc's Onan Salik and Mhain Callaghan. M/Nb
Kudos: 2





	Begrudgingly Wed

_“Mother.”_

They stood across the table from her, thin hands finding the back of a chair to support themself. Her words, sharp as they always were, left a gaping hole in their gut, and left them feeling ten years younger.

“Mother, the… the Callaghans suggested this, right? It’s preposterous, you’ll turn them down-”

“I’m the one putting this on the table, Onan, if you had bothered to listen the first time.” She snapped at them, all her regal trapping doing nothing to hide her coarse nature. “You know as well as I, if you’ve paid any attention, how poorly both our lands have done in the past years. Now’s a chance for an alliance, and with any luck, more than that.”

The Imperial Mother stalked around the table, facing her heir with a righteous sneer.

“They’d be fools to turn us down, in a time like this.” She barked out, though Onan could see her strain with keeping a straight face. “To combine the might and wealth of the Jaandoon Empire with their pitiful little kingdom? And end the border squabbling? If they will not, then another can be found. The Callaghans and their backwater nation are merely the most convenient.”

“We’ve been at war with Desirand for decades.” Onan stated flatly, manicured nails finding their way into the threads of the upholstery. Proximity was no reason to choose _Onans future spouse._ The Desirans were practically barbarians, living in squalid little towns, sometimes even sleeping alongside their filthy animals. The nation itself was small, both in region and populace, but its citizens made up for that by training everyone from a young age to wield staff and club, and more if the child desired. The royal family was even -somehow- immune to magic, and the entire country viewed witches with suspicion at best, hostility at worst. They were vulgar, crude, dirty, violent- everything opposite of the delicate nature of the Jaandoon.

And their mother wanted them to wed their prince?

Onan couldn't stop the shudder of disgust at the thought.

“And look, now, we have the makings of truce!” The Empress snapped, raising a hand to point at the other. Even at the full age of twenty-six, the Crown Heir flinched at her quick motion. “The Callaghan boy is barely older than you, and you’ve wasted plenty of time dawdling in your duties. Now you have a chance to prove yourself! There’s plenty of time for you to play up the farce before we find something better and dispose of him.” Expression turning manic, she clenched her fist. “And then the Jaandoon Empire expands, with none to question it!”

Onan could only gape. It was blatant. It was childish. The obviousness of it negated even the sting of her condemnation. Even simple-minded barbarians like the Desirans could see through something like this. Certainly, at least their _King_ could.

But off their mother went, circling the table in shark-like patterns, mumbling to herself as she studied the parchment maps and moved figures representing her forces. The Empress was gone into her own world, and Onan was going to have to suffer the consequences in this one.

They needed no dismissal. Their slippered feet made no noise on the carpets as they fled the room in a flurry of shawls and wraps, leaving their mother to her foolishness.

**Author's Note:**

> *Mhain is Celtic, and is pronounced 'Wayne'  
> *Jandoon is based off the Urdu word for magic, "jadoo sahar"  
> *Desirand is a portmanteau of 'desire' and 'land'


End file.
